FORENSIC ANTHROPOLOGY CENTER COURSES ARE OPEN FOR ENROLLMENT. CLICK HERE FOR COURSE INFORMATION!

We do not provide tours of our Outdoor Research Facility.

The Forensic Anthropology Center:

Dr. William M. Bass established the Forensic Anthropology Center in 1987. Beginning with a modest spot of land for the Anthropology Research Facility, the Forensic Anthropology Center has grown into a leading institution for forensic anthropology research and training. Our resources and facilities include the Anthropology Research Facility, a dynamic body donation program, the Bass Donated Skeletal Collection, the McCormick Skeletal Collection, professional trianing courses and much more. These resources are available to students, researchers, and law enforcement agencies.

The purpose of the Forensic Anthropology Center is to provide research, training and service with compassion. The body donation program is the heart and soul of the Forensic Anthropology Center, and we ensure that all of the families and donors are treated with the utmost respect and compassion. The donation program enables individuals to contribute to science in a direct and meaningful way.

Each donor is of tremendous scientific value and we are grateful to our donors and their families

Research

The Anthropology Research Facility is the first of its kind to permit systematic study of human decomposition. The 1.3 acres of land made famous by Dr. Bass recently expanded to approximately 2 acres. This addition provides space for studies using advanced technology to quantify how bodies interact with the environment.

The skeletal collections provide unparalleled opportunities to study modern human skeletal variation, pathology and trauma. The hallmark of these collections is the Bass Donated Skeletal Collection that now consists of over 1300 individuals, the largest collection of contemporary human skeletons in the United States.

The Forensic Data Bank (FDB) contains data on over 3400 forensic cases in the U.S. and has recently expanded to include contemporary individuals from Central and South America, Europe and Asia. The FDB has been instrumental in documenting change within the human population.

The FAC offers several professional development courses to the anthropological community. These courses make use of many of the collections, the new Bass Building, and the Anthropology Research Facility.

The FAC provides specialty courses throughout the year for several agencies including the Federal Bureau of Investigation, the Tennessee Bureau of Investigation and Kentucky Criminalistic Academy. For more information on agency-specific course development, please contact Dr. Giovanna Vidoli